By the time GenZero was officially launched in June 2022 with Frederick Teo at its helm, both the company and its Chief Executive Officer had been honing their climate credentials for several years.  

The decarbonisation-focused investment platform traces its beginnings to 2017, when Temasek established a dedicated sustainability team as a “test bed” for sustainability-focused strategies, investments and solutions.  

“The idea was to mainstream these capabilities within Temasek,” recalls Frederick, who moved from his roles in portfolio management and leading business continuity to helm the Sustainability Solutions team​.  

“That’s where the Carbon Solutions Platform (CSP), now known as GenZero, began. It was basically being incubated in ‘stealth mode’,” he laughs.  

While Temasek stepped up investments across sectors supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy, CSP aimed to accelerate decarbonisation through strategic investments. This was driven both by the urgency for solutions to the escalating climate crisis, and Temasek's broader commitment to sustainability. With climate solutions still nascent, the platform was envisioned as an independent entity, he says. “To be truly effective, we believed it needed to have that flexibility and agility.”  

For Frederick, transitioning to GenZero after 12 years on the “mothership” was a big step. It was also an opportunity to “build something exciting, mission-oriented and intellectually challenging”. 

“Ultimately, it is something I believe will have a meaningful and lasting impact.” 

Steering towards a carbon-neutral future 

Frederick joined Temasek’s portfolio management team in 2010 covering assets in the Telecommunications, Media and Technology sectors. This meant navigating investments in a landscape disrupted by 4G data and the rapid growth of Netflix, WhatsApp and Zoom. He rose to take on a leadership position within the team, while also helming sustainability and community initiatives. This included executing a nationwide delivery of N95 mask kits to kickstart a campaign on emergency preparedness by Temasek Foundation. ​​“The idea of building resilience – learning from adversity and emerging stronger – resonated with me,” he says. 

When the opportunity arose in 2017 to spearhead solutions for clean energy, urban sustainability, and climate and nature as part of the new Sustainability team, he took it. “Climate change, although not well understood at that time, presented a clear challenge requiring urgent action. It threatened our planet’s ecosystem, impacting the lives and livelihoods of millions,” he explains.  

As Managing Director for Sustainable Solutions, Frederick became the driving force behind long-term projects tackling the climate challenges faced by Temasek and its portfolio companies. These included addressing emissions in hard-to-decarbonise sectors like aviation. 

A key initiative in partnership with Singapore Airlines (SIA) and the Civil Aviation of Singapore (CAAS), took off at Changi Airport in early 2022. For almost two years, SIA and Scoot flights were fuelled with a blend of conventional and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), a biofuel that reduces carbon emissions by up to 80 per cent. The pilot validated SAF’s integration into Changi Airport’s operations, as well as SAF credits as a novel solution to offset the higher costs.  

Separately, he also led efforts to establish a carbon markets ecosystem with the creation of Climate Impact X (CIX), a global carbon credit marketplace. “We saw carbon credits as a way of channelling finance into innovative climate solutions, and lowering the green premium,” he says. “So CIX was conceived with DBS Bank, the Singapore Exchange, and Standard Chartered.”  

The birth of GenZero

By mid-2022, CSP had matured, with CIX among its partners and a portfolio that included investments in advanced biofuels, sustainable agriculture and forest restoration. This paved the way for its official launch as GenZero, with Frederick as its CEO. 

The initial months were hectic, he recalls, and focused on establishing GenZero’s mission, mandate, and strategy. “We needed to articulate what we stood for, and why,” he explains. “If our mission was to accelerate global decarbonisation, then the question was how?”  

It led to the identification of three broad focus areas: nature-based solutions, technology-based solutions, and carbon ecosystem enablers. “And then we had to organise ourselves to execute that strategy,” he says.  

Beyond a strategic blueprint, he focused on building a strong team. Frederick credits his time at Temasek for shaping his approach to talent. “Temasek is its people,” he says, “and those people share a certain mindset: the courage to innovate, resilience in the face of setbacks, and the tenacity to bounce back and try again.” 

“For those of us privileged to be in a leadership role, it’s about nurturing the next generation to carry this legacy forward. Wherever we go, we bring this piece of DNA with us.” 

A journey requiring courage

Under Frederick’s leadership, GenZero has become a significant force in driving global decarbonisation efforts.  

​“We are a fully-fledged investment company with the ability to convene leading climate stakeholders from across the globe. We share best practices and networks to scale impactful solutions, provide deep carbon markets expertise, and curate thought leadership content. This allows us to unlock pain points and accelerate positive climate action.” 

Looking ahead, he believes that future success hinges on the same qualities that have propelled GenZero thus far: a willingness to be bold, innovate, and forge new paths. 

“It's like placing stones across a riverbed, paving the way for a crossing. Laying the stones isn't enough. You need the courage to step onto them and complete the journey,” he says. “We need to be strategic and smart, but we can't afford to be paralysed by uncertainty.” 

Ultimately, he says, the focus remains on the long game: ensuring GenZero’s work protects ​the future – ​​for generations.